Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

June 14, 1893. A FAMILY PAPER. 9I LOVE IT, 1 LOVE IT.ANO WHO WILL DAR&I TO CHIDE ME FORLOVINQTHE OLD ARM CHAIR.HONOEBEIGHT.Farmer Pritchard took little Tommy, fouryears okl, no father or mother, from the poorhouseon trial. "He's bright," said the farmer,"but I don'c know whether he's honest. That'sthe thing on my mind-"Tommy had been there a week—one week ofsunshine—when the black cloud came. FarmerPritchard had a cough at night, and on thebureau, uear t' e head of the bed, he kept a few%umdrops, which he could reach out and get tosoothe the throat. One forenoon, chancing togo into the bedroom, his eyes fell on the littlepaper bag, and he saw there was not a gumdropleft. "Tommy has been here," he said. "Iknow there were fiveor six there when I wentto bed last night, and I did not take one.Tommy! Look here! Have you been gettingmy gumdrops?"Tommy, who was playing in the door, lookedup brightly and said: " No, I did not.""Did you take them, Lucy?" asked thefarmer, turning to hie wife.Mrs. Pritchard had not touched them, andher heart sank as she said so, for who was thereleft to do it but little Tommy ? Her husband'sface grew grave. " Tommy," said he, " youneed not be afraid of the truth! Did you takethe gumdrops?"" No, I didn't," replied Tommy." Oh, yes, you did, Tommy. Now tell thetruth.""No, I didn't.'^" This is bad, very bad, indeed," said Mr.Pritchard, sternly. " This is what I have beenafraid of."" Oh, Tommy! " pleaded Mrs. Pritchard, "ifyou took them, do say so.""If he took them! " repeated her husband." Why, ifs as clear as daylight."Tommy had been running in and out of theroom all morning. But Tommy denied, thoughthe farmer commanded, and his wife implored.Mr. Pritchardrs-face grew ominous." I'll give you till noon to tell the truth," hesaid, " and theu if you don't confess, why, I'llhave nothing to do with a boy who lies.. We'llride back to the poor farm this afternoon."" Oh, Joseph," said Mrs. Pritchard, followingher husband into the entry, " he ie httle;give him one more trial."" Luey," he said firmly, " when a youngstertelle a falsehood like that with so calm a face,he is ready to tell a dozen. I tell you it's inthe blood. I'll have nothing to do with a boythat lies."He went ont to his work, and Mrs. Pritchardreturned to Tommy, and talked with him a longwhile very kindly and persuasively, but all tono effect. He replied that he had not touchedthe gumdrops.At noon farmer Pritchard went into thehouse and they had dinner. After dinner hefrosty ground, and away drove Mr. Pritchardcalled Tommy. " Tommy," he asked, " did in the morning starlight. Mrs. Pritchardyou take the gumdrops? "brought out the child's top and primer, and"No, I didn't," said Tommy.made the kitchen look very cheerful. Then" Very well," said the farmer, '* my horse is she got breakfast. She baked potatoes andharnessed. Lucy, put the bay's cap on. Ishall carry him back to the poor-house, becausehe will not tell the truth."" I don't want to go back," said Tommy, butstill he denied taking the gumdrops,Mr. Pritchard told his wife to get the boyready. She cried as she brought out his littlecoat and cap, and put them on. But Tommydid not cry. He comprehended that an injusticewas done, and he knit his baby brow andheld his little lips tight. The horse wasbrought round. Mr. Pritchard came for theboy. I think he believed up to the iast Tommywould confess, but the little fellow stoodsteadfast. He was lifted into the wagon. Sucha little boy he looked as they drove away. Methought of the cold house to which he was returning;the helpless old women, the jeeringboys, the nights of terror—all these he thoughtof, when, with pale face and blue lips, he wastaken down from the wagon, and went up tothe poor-house.Farmer Pritchard watched him as he wentup the steps. He went in. The master cameout for an explanation. It was given, and thefarmer drove away. The farmer laid e freshstock of gumdrops on the bureau that night,and thought grimly that these were safe. Heretired early, but his sleep was broken. Mrs.Pritchard could not sleep at all. The tearsetole through her eyelids long after the candlewas out. She was thinking of the little boy,perhaps cowering in hie cold bed with terror.Suddenly a curious, small sound attracted herattention. It was repeated again and again,and now and then there was a tiny rustle of thepaper. The sound came from the bureau. Shelistened, and here heart beat with excitement.She knew the eound. "Joeeph!" she whiepered,"Joseph!""It was a missionary meeting—the subject,' The Syrian Mission.' The following subjectswere assigned to different members by thePrayermeeting Ccmmittee, some time beforethe meeting, viz : ' The Country,' ' The People' (their customs and habits)' Our Missionaries,'and ' Their Work.' Short talks by differentmembers on Missionary Work and Scripture reading on the eame eubject. This meetingwas enjoyed by all and gave many a deeperinterest in mission work."There is a good suggestion in this for ourSocieties to follow up. Once in a while itwould be a very wise idea to depart a little fromthe usual routine of the prayermeeting, andtaking up some subject as this, work it out ina way which will be not' only unique, but alsoinstructive and helpful.Apropos of this, we noticed at a recent far­"What, Lucy? " said her husband. He, too,had been lying awake.away convention, a discussion was held on the" Did you hear that noise, Joseph ? It's mice. subject, "Graduating from Terse-Reading."I know it. It's mice, Joseph, and they're after It would be well for us to consider this. Verseyourgumdrops."Reading is a part of the prayermeeting, which" Good gracious, Lucy! " groaned farmer none of us wonld dispense with, but at thePritchard upon his pillow. It flashed upon same time we are too apt to be content withhim instantly. He, and not Tommy, was the fulfilling our pledge by simply reading a versesinner. The noise stopped. The little depredatorswere frightened, but soon began again. the most you can, and not the least, at everyof Scripture, and taking no other part. " Domeeting."STAEVED TO DEATHia midst of plenty. Unfortunate, unnecessary, yet w*hear of it often. Infants thrive physically and ire i-tally wben properly fed. The Gail Borden EagleBrand Condensed Milk is undoubtedly the safest andbest infant food obtainable. Grocers and Druggists.And a rare feast they made. It seemed as ifthe night would never end. The farmer heardevery hour the clock struck, and at fiveo'clockhe got up and made a firein the kitchen. Hiswife arose at the same time, and began to getbreakfast." I won't wait for breakfast," hesaid. " Youcan have it ready when we get back. I'll harnessand start now."In a few moments the wheels rolled over thefried chicken, and made fritters. She put thenicest syrnp on the table, and a plate of jelliesand tarts. She laid Tommy's knife and forkin their> place, and set up his charr. Thc sunhad risen, and the bright beams fell across thetable. As they drove into the yard theystopped at the door, and the wondering, smilinglittle Tommy was hfted down in Mrs.Pritchard's eager arms. She held him verytight."Lucy, let's have breakfast now," said thefarmer. " He's our boy now, Lucy. He'snever going away again." Do not be too readyto trust or distrust children. Remember thisstory and the little mice who took the gumdrops.—Freeman.Cl^ristiari Endeavor Roiind Table.New York Presbytery.Miss Wilson, Corresponding Secretary ofthe First Newburgh Society, gives us the planof a Consecration Meeting held rn that Societya short trme ago. She says :Newburg Socieiy.Third New York.An election of oflicers was held in the Societyof the Third Church, New York, on MaySth. Mr. J. A. McCague was chosen Presi-